Scenario
by Cindy Ryan
Summary: After finding Caleb first, Tim has to deal with the scenario that they may not find Lucy
1. Chapter 1

Title: Scenario

author: Cindy Ryan

Laundry had brought in one of LA's most wanted. Caleb Wright had been found of all places at a twenty-four hour laundromat not far from the abandoned zoo. The manager had called it in after seeing the news blitz the department had done after Lucy disappeared. Tim and Angela had been the first to arrive at eleven am. The not knowing and turmoil of emotions had Tim as tight as a taunt wire. As soon as he'd seen the kidnapper Tim had seen red. His vision had narrowed and all he could think of was Lucy scared and alone in a barrel being buried alive.

The manager had backed up several steps and the twenty customers had taken had charged Caleb and had decked the man with a left hook before Caleb could register that he'd been caught. Tim had dragged him to his feet and slammed him against a bank of washing machines face first.

"Damage my machines, you pay!"The middle aged bald white man had shouted even as he kept his distance.

Tim had ignored him and slammed Caleb again with enough force that the kidnapper bounced off the machine and sprawled to the floor. Tim had advanced on him once more and yanked him to his feet. Caleb's face had been a bloody mess but it hadn't phased Tim nor had Angela's pleas to stop. Now Tim pressed Caleb against a dryer.

"You have one chance to tell me where she is!"Tim demanded as he pressed his forearm against the man's throat.

The kidnapper smirked and as Tim's forearm came down on his throat the kidnapper had vowed.

"You'll never find her."

Tim had no memory of the next few minutes. It wasn't until Grey's stern angry face came into view that reality returned. Tim was pulled away from Caleb and to the other side of the laundrymat. An ambulance was outside and Caleb was being carried out on a gurney. The bastard's words echoed through Tim's thoughts as he looked down at his bruised; bloody hands.

"You'll never find her."

Tim vowed there and then that even if he had to dig up the whole city; Tim would find his partner.

* * *

Tim knew Angela was trailing behind him as he stormed into the hospital forty minutes later but he didn't slow down. He didn't care how he looked or the double takes the hospital staff was giving him. He wanted one person. One person in a lock down unit of the hospital. One the department didn't use that often. Grey was taking no chances and Tim didn't blame him. They had the copy cat killer in custody. It was going to be a feather in the department's crown. It was going to be the internet equivalent of front page news if it wasn't already. The city was safe. The mayor and ADA could pat themselves on the back. They could have all the praise; all Tim wanted was five minutes with Wright. He was almost certain that five minutes he could get Lucy's location. Most likely less.

"Tim!"

Angela's shout finally dented Tim's thoughts and he glared back at his friend. She glared right back. Angela glanced to her right saw a darkened room opened the door and yanked Tim inside it. He instantly turned and opened the door and she slammed it shut blocking his way.

"You need to take a breath and calm down a notch."Angela suggested as she folded her arms across her chest. "Grey's not going to let you anywhere near Wright if you're acting like 'One flew over the coo-coo's nest."

"I don't need Grey; I can get in there."Tim nearly growled angry and impatient with the delay.

"With the charm you're oozing now?"Angela countered sharply.

"I can move you out of the way."Tim threatened.

"You won't."Angela returned.

Tim stalked to the other side of what was a small conference room and then paced the length of it by the window. This was wasting time.

"Do you think that the others haven't already talked to him?"Angela began. "That Armstrong isn't..."

"They haven't got him to talk or we'd be moving to where she is!"Tim nearly shouted. "I can get him to talk."

* * *

Angela frowned and tried to keep a reign on her own temper. She knew Tim didn't deal with helplessness well; most men didn't. Add to that mix that it was his rookie; his boot. One that had become a friend no matter how he tried to deny that fact was a volatile mix.

"You can't control yourself around him."Angela reasoned. "I get that. Seeing him going about his daily business like Chen wasn't missing hit me too. Means he's got more than a few screws loose. That he could do that to her and then go do errands and laundry and for all we know grocery shopping it's sick and twisted. But you won't be any help to Chen if Grey takes your badge."

"You think I give a damn about my badge?!"Tim retorted as he stalked around the table. "This is on me!"

"She's your rookie, I get that..."Angela replied confused.

"No, you don't!"Tim thundered his voice breaking. "I told her to go and get a drink after the stressful day. She asked for my advice and that's what I gave her. This is on me!"

Oh, Tim. Angela thought with compassion and she walked forward and pulled her friend into a hug.

* * *

He hadn't told anyone but Grey Tim realized as Angela engulfed him in a hug. His C.O had been the only one he'd confessed his guilt to when he'd first learned Lucy was missing. That had been hard enough.

"People like him are good at blending in; fooling people."Angela soothed quietly.

The anger finally draining from him at least partly Tim pulled away and sank down onto the corner of the table. He ran a hand through his hair and then looked at the clock on the wall. The ticking of the second hand seemed unusually loud. Reminding him that his partner was somewhere buried alive and running out of air. If she hadn't already.

"I haven't had a boot die on me yet."Tim stated in a strained voice. "If Chen's the first...if that piece of advice is my failure..."

Angela lowered herself so she was eye level with Tim. She rested her hands on her thighs.

"Chen is smart; one of the smartest we've had in a few years."Angela began quietly. "Even Harper sees her potential. You trained her well. I haven't lost faith yet that we'll bring her home; alive."

"I don't want to either."Tim admitted but he gestured to the clock. "But we're running on an estimated clock, Angela. We're guessing that he didn't take her from the trunk and put her in the ground. We're..."

"No, we're going on his track record. The girl at the zoo..."Angela protested.

"We don't know how he found her. He met Chen before this. She could trigger something else in his craziness that..."Tim argued.

Grey's voice over the radio interrupted the conversation.

"Grey to Bradford. We've got a possible location on Chen. I sent directions to your shop!"Grey stated grimly.

Hope surged through Tim as he stood and he tried to wrestle it back. This could be another proverbial brick wall. They'd hit so many already. Tim picked his hand mike and acknowledged Grey's call. Then he yanked open the conference room door and sprinted to the stairs. Angela was close on his heels. They didn't have time for the elevator.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Scenario

author: Cindy Ryan

notes and summary: See part one

An hour later Tim's head was spinning and he was having trouble breathing. They'd hit another brick wall. They were standing in a warehouse south of where Wright was renting an apartment. Fifty officers had torn the floor apart. Fortunately the floor was dirt and not cement but it'd still taken time. The lead had seemed off, but at this point they couldn't turn anything down.

Now Tim stood leaning his palms against the hood of his shop. Chen wasn't here. The mid afternoon sun beat down reminding him of the time slipping away. His right hand formed a fist almost on it's own accord and he hit the hood. Tim looked at that hand covered in dirt. One fingernail was torn, blood had dried on the skin around it. His uniform was also dirty and torn, but none of that mattered.

Tim looked at his reflection in the windshield. He'd failed at things before; everyone did. It was part of life. Tim sent off a silent prayer that he wouldn't fail this time. Not this. It wasn't because Tim didn't want to own up to what he'd done. He did; more than anything. Tim wanted to do that to Chen. He wanted to apologize to her; not her grave stone.

_'You'll never find her.'_

Tim shoved aside the memory of Caleb's words and pushed away from the SUV. He got in the driver's seat slamming the door. He did so with such force that the glove box bounced open. Tim sighed as he put the key in the ignition and started the engine. He glanced at the glove box tempted to leave it. Then he saw his earbuds dangling out. Tim reached for the white cord and went to shove it back when the small audio player attached to it tumbled free and was now hanging from Tim's grasp.

Tim stared at the device as if it was a cobra. The device held the audio recording Lucy had made to help him study for the Sgt's exam. He drew it closer to him and put in one of the earbuds and with a shaky finger; hit play. Tim had finished it so it was back to the beginning; or almost.

_'…..read by Lucy Chen the best rookie you ever trained.'_

A lump formed in Tim's throat that he couldn't swallow. Lucy's voice continued. As he heard her voice memories swarmed the strongest being of the quarantine.

_'Everything's going to be alright.'_

_'You're good at a lot of things, Chen, lying isn't one of them.'_

_'You think I'm good at things? Can I get that in writing?'_

Tim's head was pounding. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten. He rested his left elbow on the door frame and leaned his head on his hand trying to calm himself to ease the headache. Another memory assaulted him. He didn't remember much of the ambulance ride from the quarantine after he'd collapsed. He'd been in and out of consciousness. One clear memory was of Chen leaning towards him her hand grasping his.

_'Don't quit on me, Tim. There are people that need you.'_

Lucy's friendship had helped him through that. He'd never told her that. Tim knew his rookie would fight to the last moment. She'd already been missing for hours...

A sharp pounding interrupted Tim's thoughts and he was momentarily disorientated. He searched for the source and saw Angela standing at the passenger window one hand on the glass. The doors had automatically locked when he'd started the engine. Tim released the lock on the passenger door and Angela yanked it open her eyes wide and she was breathing hard. A coldness swept over Tim and he braced himself emotionally against whatever she had to say.

"Officers went over the northeast corner of the warehouse again."Angela explained. "They found a barrel buried. It matches the other's that Caleb used. They're digging it free now."

Tim tossed the audio device down and opened the driver's side door. He barely gave himself enough clearance to exit the SUV before slamming the door closed. He heard Angela close the passenger door and her footsteps behind as he ran back to the warehouse.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Scenario

author: Cindy Ryan

notes and summary: See part one

They had just pulled the barrel out when Tim reached the northeast corner of the large warehouse. He moved quickly to the front of the group. He felt sick to his stomach when he saw the hole and the dirt still covering the barrel. Tim swallowed back the bile and demanded a crowbar. Seconds too long later one was thrust into his right hand. Tim didn't let himself think as he shoved the metal into the wooden lid and pried it open.

For a long second Tim stared at the still contorted form of his partner. Lucy was curled on herself. Wedged at an angle that didn't seem possible for a human. She was covered in dirt and the red brown hue of blood was mixed in along her all too pale arms.

"Oh God."Angela exclaimed from nearby.

The clatter of the crowbar seemed extra loud as Tim threw it to the floor. It bounced against other tools and shovels but Tim ignored it. Lucy was his sole focus. Vaguely he heard someone radio for an ambulance. As if from outside himself Tim felt his body go through the motions of gently gripping his rookie's arms and slowly pulling her free of her prison. She was limp as a rag doll in his arms. Lucy wasn't breathing and as Tim placed her on the warehouse floor he thought she was dead. Thought they were too late.

That was until Tim reached for her pulse and felt an answer under his fingers. Tim was grateful he was kneeling because he was sure his legs would've given out at that moment.

"Knew you'd fight to the last to stay with us."Tim said softly before he raised his head and looked at his colleagues. "She's got a pulse but not breathing!"

As first aid measures were applied for Tim it was an agonizingly long wait for the ambulance to arrive. They got Lucy breathing before the medics got there and his rookie taking that breath was the most beautiful sound Tim had heard for a long time. 

* * *

Lucy knew she had awaken several times but never been full conscious till now. The first time had been in the ambulance and the only awareness had been that she'd been moving. That meant she was free. Lucy had awoken once more at the hospital surrounded by doctors and nurses. She hadn't had the energy to stay awake. Now as she pried her eyes open the light was almost too much; almost painful. She drew in a sharp breath. A chair creaked indicating someone was in the room. Lucy felt her body tense and hated that instinctive reaction.

"Easy, boot."A familiar voice soothed as Tim came into her line of sight. "Take it slow; let your eyes adjust."

With Tim's reassuring hand on her right arm Lucy closed her eyes and then reopened them a few minutes later. The world swam but slowly came into focus with less pain and disorientation. She turned her head and looked up into the concerned face of her T.O. Tim looked like he'd aged ten years since she'd last seen him. Start of a beard along his jaw line and dark circles under his eyes.

"You're safe; we got Caleb he's in custody. Bastard won't hurt you again."Tim stated anger coloring his hoarse voice.

Lucy nodded and reached out to take Tim's right hand in hers. She squeezed it and that small effort seemed to zap any strength she'd had and Lucy felt her eyelids droop. Just as she drifted back to sleep she heard Tim speak softly.

"I'm sorry, Lucy."


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Scenario  
author: Cindy Ryan  
Notes and summary: See part one

The biggest shock and surprise to Lucy about her abduction was her father. In the days after Patrick Chen had been someone Lucy nearly didn't recognize. Growing up he'd always been working. When he had been home he'd been a loving but reserved parent. The first thing he'd done when he'd seen Lucy in the hospital was break down in tears. Lucy had never seen him cry. She knew then how much this ordeal had scared him. After the tears her father had hugged Lucy for a long time. Then he hadn't been the only one in tears.

Five days since her release from the hospital Lucy was still on unstable ground emotionally. She hated what this had done to her. Lucy was jumpy and emotional. Her father's professional opinion was she had a bit of PTSD along with the trauma. Combine that with the night terrors and Lucy was a wreck. It was in that emotional state that Tim found Lucy when he came to visit. This was the first time she'd seen him since that first day in the hospital.

Sitting on the patio of her childhood home Lucy took a good look at her partner. Tim sat across from her on the dark green patio chairs with the palm tree patterned cushions. He was in jeans and a Rams t-shirt. Jackson had told her how her kidnapping had affected Tim. How much he had blamed himself. How driven he was to find her. The man sitting here seemed a far cry from the tough as nails no leeway T.O she'd met almost a year before. There were dark circles under his eyes and bandages on his hands. Small ones, but ones Lucy knew he'd gotten from freeing her from the small prison Caleb had put Lucy in.

"Was surprised your Dad was here."Tim commented breaking the silence.

"He's been working half days."Lucy explained quietly her gaze drifting to the patio door and the living room beyond. "I think he's afraid to let me out of his sight."

"I understand that feeling."Tim admitted. "The first twenty-four hours you were in the hospital; I wasn't far."

"I know."Lucy responded softly looking at her partner.

Tim nodded; swallowing hard. Lucy saw sadness, guilt and anger in his eyes and hated Caleb for it.

"I couldn't stay in your room long."Tim continued a hitch in his voice. "It killed me every time I looked at you in that bed knowing I put you there."

The harshness of the words conflicted with the soft sadness of his voice. Lucy's heart broke; she couldn't stand to see him suffer like this.

"Tim..."Lucy began.

"I promised myself that if we found you; I'd apologize."Tim continued as if he hadn't heard her his gaze fixed on the patio door. "But now that doesn't seem like enough." 

* * *

When Tim had arrived at Lucy's father's home Patrick hadn't wanted to let him in. Now he understood why. Lucy had put up a brave front in the hospital; but now Tim could see the true affect the ordeal had taken on her. She was still thin and pale with large dark circles under her eyes. He knew from Jackson about the night terrors. Each one of those factors was like another stab of guilt to Tim.

_'So as my training officer you're saying that I should go get a drink?'_

_'A strong one. Maybe even with another human.'_

Those words had echoed with the force of a sledge hammer every minute Lucy had been missing. Coupled with the mantra of 'Your fault' Tim had wanted to go back to that moment and take those words back more than anything he'd ever wanted in his life. Taking a deep breath Tim stood and turned to look at the small but well landscaped back yard. He stared at the small gray stoned fountain for a long moment gathering his thoughts; trying to piece together what he wanted to say.

"You suffered because of me."Tim continued quietly. "Went through a hell that I'm not sure I would've survived if our places had been switched."

Tim heard Lucy stand and take a step but he didn't turn.

"I'm more sorry than you'll ever know."Tim stated grimly. "You've become a friend, Lucy and..."

"Please, stop."Lucy interrupted in a choked tearful voice as she moved to stand in front of Tim. "This is no one's fault but Caleb's. Even if you hadn't given me that advice I think he would've found another way to get me."

Tim swallowed hard; not sure how to comfort her or if he should.

"You made me who I am as an officer."Lucy continued. "I survived because of that and because I knew my LAPD family wouldn't stop looking." 

* * *

Lucy felt her voice break and the tears won. She wrapped her arms around Tim and pulled him into an embrace sensing that he needed the comfort of that motion as much as she did. After a few seconds Lucy felt Tim's arms fold around her. There was one thing Lucy had to say now that she hadn't had a chance to say at the hospital when everything was so raw.

"Thank you."Lucy said softly in a hiccuped sob. "For not giving up on me."

"Never."Tim replied in a tight voice. "You're my partner."

The tears started once more and Lucy let them as she thought of how far she and Tim had come since that first day. Despite all the bad days during training Lucy was grateful now for whoever had put Tim Bradford in her life. They stood on that patio for a long time.

end


End file.
